Should soy free feed formula be powdery based on the ingredients?

[T-Amy]

We purchased a 1/2 ton of organic soy free layer feed & it came very powdery. I'm concerned about the chickens wasting it when picking out the whole pieces of corn & peas- Normally we grind out own feed & are used to a more consistent texture- (that included soy, oats, corn, alfalfa, nutri balancer, & calcium).
however, we wanted to switch to Organic, soy free so found a somewhat local supplier who mixed it for us.
We found it very powdery- the supplier said that the ingredients in it are naturally powdery: the peas are so delicate that they break up and the sunflower & flax meal already come as a 'meal' so that contributes to the powdery texture.
Is this normal?

 

[countrygoddess]

I wonder what kind of peas they use? I can't break the ones I use unless I bash them with a hammer. I soak my feed in water/ACV overnight so the peas and grains soften up (although they get really big and the girls pick over them until that's all they have left and they have no choice but to eat them. LOL). The peas I use are field peas. And as far as the sunflower and flax meal, I would think they would be more naturally moist-feeling, or oily-like. Are you finding the meal to feel and appear more like flour?

If you're worried about your chickens leaving the powdery stuff behind, here are some things I do (for when I forget to soak overnight): melt some pork lard and mix it in OR mix in some buttermilk OR mix in some of my dog's ground raw beef food--the powder clings to the meat and my girls LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Sounds normal to me. We feed 20 tons per month of organic layer mash from the local mill. There is little that is recognizable in there. It's pretty much the consistency of corn meal.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I did a google search for layer mash images. This is a typical grind although some of the parts may be a bit powdery:

 

[T-Amy]

Thanks Mac- 20 tons per month? Woah- hope you get a good discount! How many birds do you have? How do you get rid of these birds?

 

[Mac in Wisco]

We have 5000 birds. The feed is purchased at current spot prices for the grains used plus a small milling and delivery charge. With organic corn at $15 a bushel and soy meal at $1150 per ton it's running about $650 a ton for an organic layer ration.